www.visitmexico.comTHE PLACE YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW

CULTURE

www.visitmexico.comTHE PLACE YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW

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MEXICO’S HISTORIC CITIES

The history of Mexico is told in its streets, and plazas,

and along country roads; is made manifest in magnificent

stone palaces and cobblestone paths. Visitors in search

of Mexican history’s traces favor a number of cities, but it

might be the case that the “classics” are still the top—those

cities that never fall out of fashion, like Guanajuato and

Zacatecas in the Bajío region, or marvelous Campeche on

the Yucatán Peninsula.

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CAMPECHEA wall to protect the ancient commercial port from pirate attacks was erected begin-ning in the seventeenth cen-tury, and today it is the city’s most emblematic landmark. Its museums, forts and ram-parts are iconic and—at spots like the José el Alto Historical Fort Museum—they recreate a swashbuckling history of gal-leons, swords and buccaneers. Not least of all, Campeche’s Maya heritage has been pre-served in the form of striking artworks gathered from near-by archaeological zones.

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GUANAJUATOMexico’s mining bonanza reaches its highest expression in Guanajuato. And La Valenciana, the mine that tapped its bountiful silver vein, helps explain the baroque, neo-classical and nineteenth-century architec-tural treasures one sees in the city, lining its streets and plazas seamlessly. A visit to museums such as the Alhóndiga de Granaditas allows visitors to relive Mexico’s struggle for independence from Spain—one of the nation’s most eventful eras. The modern city lives an intense cultural life that visitors perceive and experience with the very first notes of a concert at the Teatro Juárez.

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ZACATECASPlazas, gardens and jewelry markets frame pink cantera stone buildings that are the hallmark of Zacatecas, another mining city. Its Churrigueresque and plateresque cathedral exemplifies the city’s unique aesthetic, rendered in pastel hues alone. Bufa Peak features a museum on the Mexican Revolution, along with privileged views reached via a cable car that offers a panoramic vista of the city and surrounding countryside. Visitors seeking world-class events head for Zacatecas’s beautiful Teatro Fernando Calderón—a landmark visible from almost any point in the city.

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES

Time cannot diminish what remains of Mexico’s ancient

pre-Hispanic civilizations, whose cultural splendors

continue to astonish visitors at cities and pyramids that

rise from even the most impenetrable jungles. The Yucatán

receives the greatest numbers of visitors to archaeological

sites, but ruins are found throughout Mexico.

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PALENQUE, CHIAPASOne of the most beautiful Maya cities of all, Palenque is found in the northern part of Mexico’s south-ernmost state, Chiapas. Visitors enter the city—which reached its peak around the seventh century AD—through the Gran Plaza, surrounded by a number of other impressive structures. The most notable is the “Temple of Inscriptions,” a funerary building that contains a secret tomb. The ball court and aqueduct are also important ruins, but nothing is as impressive as Palenque’s still-well-preserved temples and palaces.

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TEOTIHUACAN, MEXICO STATEThis Mexica nation archaeological zone was one of the most influential cities in all antiquity—the represen-tative conurbation of the Classic Period. At its height—it enjoyed some seven centuries of preeminence—its population reached 200,000. Highlights include the “Street of the Dead” and the Pyramid dedicated to Quetzalcóatl; but that said, no visitor should (or can) miss the site’s most important and dazzling struc-tures: the “Pyramid of the Sun” and the “Pyramid of the Moon.” The former rises almost 64 meters, and is well worth the climb; when you reach the top, try to imagine life as it was lived in this powerful civilization and at its vast, bustling capital.

TULUM, QUINTANA ROOTurquoise Caribbean waters surround Tulum, in the state of Quintana Roo. In ancient times it was a port as well as lookout spot, walled for its own defense. Its most important structure is dedicated to the deity Kukulkán: a lighthouse that warned navigators off the coral reef after maritime expeditions, now known as “the Castle.” The “Temple of the Descending God” is another must-see structure.

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M E X I CA N A R C H I T ECT U R E

Great metropolises are always chic: their buildings bear the

marks of past glories at the same time the city continues to

create and build, a testimony to the passage of time. Cities

such as Morelia, Puebla and Querétaro reflect the splendor

of their past in façades, walls and towers. Yet contemporary

architecture also finds its place within these imposing cities.

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PUEBLAAlso known as the “City of the Angels,” Puebla’s capital city contains Mexico’s greatest concentration of churches, many of which are easily discovered on a walk through the city’s magnificent downtown. The seventeenth-century cathedral is considered one of the most beautiful in the entire Western Hemisphere and features a magnificent rear altarpiece, high altar and Moorish-style choir loft. The Churches of Santo Domingo—a masterpiece of the baroque style—and San Francisco—featuring a gray stone and talavera tile façade–are just the start of Puebla’s almost innumerable architectural treasures.

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MORELIAYour Morelia architecture tour begins with a visit to its impos-ing, eighteenth-century cathe-dral— famed for campaniles almost 70 meters high, its tri-partite baroque façade and its 4000-pipe organ. Plaza de los Mártires is the starting place for the city’s emblematic aque-duct, spanning more than 250 arches before it arrives to Plaza Villalongín and a graceful foun-tain portraying Tarasca indige-nous women. The architecture of Michoacán’s capital city is especially lovely after dark, thanks to dramatic lighting cast upon the downtown area’s most beautiful structures.

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QUERÉTAROAt Mexico’s geographical cen-ter, colonial Quéretaro is home to neo-classical and baroque structures—with touches of the Moorish—even as its streets harmoniously incorporate more modern architecture. Amid peaceful plazas and parks, visi-tors reach buildings such as the former Santa Cruz Convent, a construction of sober and clas-sical design whose walls fea-ture seventeenth- and eigh-teenth-century paintings. The church of Santa Rosa de Viter-bo—an exquisite example of the Mexican baroque—is also notable. Querétaro’s Regional Museum and Museum of Art, housed in the Old San Agustín Convent, are architectural mas-terpieces from Mexico’s vicere-gal period.

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MOdERN ARCHITECTUREThe play of geometric forms and color that distinguishes modern Mexico arrived with the twentieth century. For an understanding of the constant evolution that the nation’s big cities have undergone, look no further than Mexico State’s Torres de Satélite, by master Mexican architect Luis Barragán. Mexico City abounds with innovative work by such architects, exemplified by landmarks such as the Auditorio Nacional and the Rufino Tamayo Museum of Contemporary Art—by Teodoro González de León—or the National University Rectory Tower, by the unequalled Mario Pani.

Central Library at the National University

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A R T

The art of Mexico has come to enjoy international renown,

above all because of works by twentieth-century artists

who exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the

world. It still appeals to connoisseurs who appreciate the

unique aesthetic of a nation that uses creativity and aes-

thetic innovation to define and reinvent itself.

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CONTEMPORARy ARTMexico’s creative spirit is in con-stant movement and undergoes perennial evolution and the twen-ty-first century has been the arena for numerous and compelling aes-thetic proposals. In recent years, Gabriel Orozco has enjoyed tre-mendous success both in Mexico and abroad, thanks not only to his tenacity, but above all, to his obvi-ous talent. Damián Ortega is an-other promising young artist on the scene; fully versed in global art trends, his work creates a univer-sal discourse that speaks of Mexi-co at the same time. Works by Damián Ortega

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Man of Fire, by José Clemente Orozco

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MURALISMOMexican art reached a zenith in the twentieth century thanks to artists who put Mexican identity at the center of their painterly creations. This na-tionalism found expression in murals that in turn touched on socio-cultural complexities as well as the beauty of Mexico’s peoples and landscapes—with-in a framework of the European avant-garde, yet in an inherent-ly local palette. Works by Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros adorn dozens of Mexican build-ings; an important collection of canvases and sculptures by Ru-fino Tamayo and Juan Soriano can be found in museums and along city streets.

The Abolition of Slavery, by José Chávez Morado

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INFRASTRUCTURE

Along with contemporary architecture, new technologies

and services reflect Mexico’s third millennium ambitions,

clearly exemplified in recent constructions featuring both

eclectic designs and new modes of functionality.

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THE FACE OF THE FUTUREMexico’s newest museums—the University Museum of Contemporary Art, by architect Teodoro González de León, and the Museo Soumaya, by Fernando Romero, both in Mexico City—create an encounter between the contemporary and the intensity of the nation’s cultural life. These spaces’ forms and structures present a manifesto of the modern to every visitor—at the same time they house and showcase invaluable collections.

Universitary Museum of Contemporary Art

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ARTISANAL CRAFTS ANd FASHION

The whole world has come to know Mexico through

textures and palettes that demonstrate its creativity and

joy: artisanal crafts bearing brightly colored mosaics or

complex weaves that are converted into breathtaking

utilitarian or decorative objects. Over the years, the styles

associated with this work have been transformed into

fashions of the highest quality and refinement.

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ARTISANAL CRAFTSAn entire atlas could be devised to plot out the almost innumerable artisanal crafts produced in every corner of Mexico; every region has its own aesthetic, materials and techniques. More than just serving the purposes for which they were created, they become one-of-kind artworks. Their added value resides in the dedication that Mexican artists have applied to each work to make it unlike any other, as part of an ongoing celebration of tradition.

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CONTEMPORARydESIGNA new generation of Mexican de-signers is creating impeccable work here at home, often by re-fashioning traditional elements. Examples include sophisticated couture pieces, livened by a touch of the innocent, as produced by the Trista collective or Alejandra Quesada; or work by Macario Jimé-nez bearing his signature sophisti-cation and elegance. In interior de-sign the current rage for the arti-sanal and the handmade has lead a number of designers to work with artisan communities and create singular, sustainable objects that simultaneously reinforce notions of fair trade and the ecological.

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Designs by Alejandra Quesada

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MUSIC

The history of Mexican music is as extensive as the history

of the nation itself. You’ll frequently see dancers observing

traditions from different pre-Hispanic cultures, or hear

varied regions’ signature rhythms, each with its own

distinct style. Yet you’ll also hear new musical themes that

never lose sight of their Mexican roots.

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MEXICO’S TRAdITIONAL SOUNdSTraditional Mexican music enriches a sense of nationality and local color, and is especially appealing to visitors in search of a lively Mexican fiesta or a more intimate encounter with a land whose songs exude its joys and passions. Mexican rhythms run the gamut, from nostalgic sones and intriguing indigenous dances to driving drumbeats, intense corrido ballads featuring accordion riffs, and of course, Mexico’s world famous mariachis—a sound that has spread Mexico’s musical fame far beyond its borders.

Tequila and Mezcal Museum, in Garibaldi

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MUSIC FESTIvALSThe Mexican music scene is di-verse and supports a number of festivals that attract interna-tionally renowned musicians. Standouts include the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival, in Quintana Roo, which brings the very best in jazz to one of Mexico’s most popular resort areas. Other fes-tivals focus on folkloric music. The venerable Guelaguetza fes-tival, in Oaxaca, is a pageant of color where music, indigenous costume and traditional dance play equally prominent roles.

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CONTEMPORARy MUSICMore and more, Mexican musicians are cross-ing borders and making careers for them-selves at home and abroad. Tenor Fernando de la Mora has combined talents with orches-tra director Alondra de la Parra in the classi-cal vein; at the same time, bands such as Café Tacvba—with years of success to its credit—or Rodrigo y Gabriela—talented guitarists who’ve become a sensation in Europe—con-tinue to blend sounds and genres, yet always stay connected to Mexican roots.

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MUSEUMS

Mexico is full of museums dedicated to the preservation

of its art and history, above all in Mexico City, whose

neighborhoods contain innumerable spaces given over

to showcasing the nation’s heritage. But don’t discount

museums in other cities, either: they feature everything

from the ruins of millennia-old cultures to works from the

world’s most impressive painters.

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Fountain of the National Museum of Anthropology

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MEXICO CITy’S MUSEUMSThe National Museum of An-thropology—designed by archi-tect Sergio Ramírez Vázquez— is home to priceless pieces, such as the world-famous Sun Calendar Stone, that nar-rate Mexico’s remotest past in a vast panorama that covers 2000 years of history. In con-trast, the brand new Universi-ty Museum of Contemporary Art, in the south of the city, presents what’s most outstand-ing in the arts today through painstaking curation and open spaces that accommodate the edgiest expressions in mu-sic and dance.

Aztec Calendar Stone, in the National Museum of Anthropology

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REGIONAL MUSEUMSBut it’s not just about Mexico City: in Zacatecas, for one, you’ll find the Manuel Fel-guérez Museum of Abstract Art, one of the nation’s most important showplaces for con-temporary works. It features an impressive permanent col-lection of painting and sculp-ture by over 120 Mexican art-ists. Villahermosa’s Carlos Pel-licer Cámara Regional Anthro-pology Museum—in the capi-tal of Tabasco State—houses incredible Olmec, Maya and Zoque treasures originally dis-covered in archaeological zo-nes throughout the Yucatán Peninsula.

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FESTIvALS

Mexico’s festival calendar keeps expanding, year after

year. There’s so much to celebrate—film, culture, music,

art, cuisine—and enough variety to stave off boredom

indefinitely. The infrastructure supporting them improves

every year, and many figure among the world’s very best. Cou

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NOTABLE FESTIvALSCelebrated annually in Michoacán’s capital city, the Morelia International Film Festival attracts a global crush of cinema actors and directors. The Guadalajara International Book Fair has become a principal cul-tural forum for all Mexico and brings together dozens of Latin American writers. Additionally there are art festivals such as Guanajuato’s International Cervantes Festival, or the Festival de México, held in Mexico City.

International Cervantes Festival

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MEXICO’S UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES*Downtown Mexico City/Downtown Xochimilco (1987)

Downtown Oaxaca and the Monte Albán, Oaxaca Archaeological Zone (1987)

Downtown Puebla (1987)

The pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan, Mexico State (1987)

The pre-Hispanic city and national park at Palenque, Chiapas (1987)

Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, Quintana Roo (1987)

Downtown Guanajuato and adjacent mines, Guanajuato (1988)

The pre-Hispanic city of Chichén Itzá, Yucatán (1988)

Downtown Morelia, Michoacán (1991)

The pre-Historic city of El Tajín, Veracruz (1992)

Downtown Zacatecas (1993)

Cave paintings at Sierra de San Francisco, Baja California (1993)

Whale sanctuaries at El Vizcaíno, Baja California (1993)

Mexico’s first sixteenth century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl volcano, Mexico State (1994)

The pre-Hispanic city of Uxmal, Yucatán (1996)

The historical monument zone at Querétaro, Querétaro (1996)

Guadalajara’s Hospicio Cabañas (1997)

Paquimé, Casas Grandes, Chihuahua Archaeological Zone (1998)

The historical monuments zone at Tlacotalpan, Veracruz (1998)

The historic walled city of Campeche (1999)

The archaeological monuments zone at Xochicalco, Morelos (1999)

The ancient Maya city of Calakmul, Campeche (2002)

Franciscan missions in the Sierra Gorda de Querétaro Mountains, Querétaro (2003)

The Luis Barragán House and Studio, Mexico City (2004)

Protected islands and zones in the Gulf of California (2005)

The agave fields and old distilleries at Tequila, Jalisco (2006)

The National Autonomous University of Mexico’s main Ciudad Universitaria campus in Mexico City (2007)

The monarch butterfly biosphere reserves in Michoacán and Mexico State (2008)

San Miguel el Grande and Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco Church, Guanajuato (2008)

The Camino Real historic highway (2010)

Yagul and Mitla caves in Oaxaca’s Central Valley (2010)

*Source: www.unesco.org

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MEXICO’S UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES*Downtown Mexico City/Downtown Xochimilco (1987)

Downtown Oaxaca and the Monte Albán, Oaxaca Archaeological Zone (1987)

Downtown Puebla (1987)

The pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan, Mexico State (1987)

The pre-Hispanic city and national park at Palenque, Chiapas (1987)

Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, Quintana Roo (1987)

Downtown Guanajuato and adjacent mines, Guanajuato (1988)

The pre-Hispanic city of Chichén Itzá, Yucatán (1988)

Downtown Morelia, Michoacán (1991)

The pre-Historic city of El Tajín, Veracruz (1992)

Downtown Zacatecas (1993)

Cave paintings at Sierra de San Francisco, Baja California (1993)

Whale sanctuaries at El Vizcaíno, Baja California (1993)

Mexico’s first sixteenth century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl volcano, Mexico State (1994)

The pre-Hispanic city of Uxmal, Yucatán (1996)

The historical monument zone at Querétaro, Querétaro (1996)

Guadalajara’s Hospicio Cabañas (1997)

Paquimé, Casas Grandes, Chihuahua Archaeological Zone (1998)

The historical monuments zone at Tlacotalpan, Veracruz (1998)

The historic walled city of Campeche (1999)

The archaeological monuments zone at Xochicalco, Morelos (1999)

The ancient Maya city of Calakmul, Campeche (2002)

Franciscan missions in the Sierra Gorda de Querétaro Mountains, Querétaro (2003)

The Luis Barragán House and Studio, Mexico City (2004)

Protected islands and zones in the Gulf of California (2005)

The agave fields and old distilleries at Tequila, Jalisco (2006)

The National Autonomous University of Mexico’s main Ciudad Universitaria campus in Mexico City (2007)

The monarch butterfly biosphere reserves in Michoacán and Mexico State (2008)

San Miguel el Grande and Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco Church, Guanajuato (2008)

The Camino Real historic highway (2010)

Yagul and Mitla caves in Oaxaca’s Central Valley (2010)

*Source: www.unesco.org

PUEBLOSMÁGICOSMEXICO’S “ENCHANTED TOWNS”For qualities inherent to them, a number of towns

throughout Mexico have been designated Pueblos

Mágicos—“enchanted towns.” They are emblema-

tic places that take particular pride in their culture,

cuisine, architecture, artisanal crafts, music and

other traditions, and that preserve their heritage

for the enjoyment of residents and visitors. A visit

to any Pueblo Mágico is a journey straight to the

heart of Mexico.

Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism regularly updates this list,

adding municipalities and landmarks that fulfill Pueblo

Mágico designation requirements.

Real de Asientos, Aguascalientes (2006)Todos Santos, Baja California Sur (2006)Palizada, Campeche (2010)Creel, Chihuahua (2007)Parras de la Fuente, Coahuila (2004)Comalá, Colima (2002)San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas (2003)Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato (2002)Taxco, Guerrero (2002)Real del Monte, Hidalgo (2004)Huasca de Ocampo, Hidalgo (2001)Mineral del Chico, Hidalgo (2011)Tapalpa, Jalisco (2002)Tequila, Jalisco (2003)Mazamitla, Jalisco (2005)San Sebastián del Oeste, Jalisco (2011)Tepotzotlán, Mexico State (2002)Valle de Bravo, Mexico State (2005)Malinaco, Mexico State (2010)El Oro, Mexico State (2011)Pátzcuaro, Michoacán (2002)Tlalpujahua, Michoacán (2005)Cuitzeo, Michoacán (2006)Santa Clara del Cobre, Michoacán (2010)Santiago, Nuevo León (2006)Calpulálpam de Méndez, Oaxaca (2007)Cuetzalan, Puebla (2002)Zacatlan, Puebla (2011)Bernal, Querétaro (2005)Jalpan de Serra, Querétaro (2010)Cadereita, Querétaro (2011)Bacalar, Quintana Roo (2006)Real de Catorce, San Luis Potosí (2001)Cosalá, Sinaloa (2005)El Fuerte, Sinaloa (2009)Álamos, Sonora (2005)Mier, Tamaulipas (2007)Huamantla, Tlaxcala (2007)Coatepec, Veracruz (2006)Xico, Veracruz (2011)Izamal, Yucatán (2002)Jerez de García Salinas, Zacatecas (2007)Teul de González, Zacatecas (2011)Tepoztlan, Morelos (2010)Tlayacapan, Morelos (2011)Tapijulapa, Tabasco (2010)

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

AGUASCALIENTES www.vivaaguascalientes.comBAJA CALIFORNIA www.descubrebajacalifornia.com BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR www.turismobcs.com CAMPECHE www.campeche.travelCHIAPAS www.turismochiapas.gob.mxCHIHUAHUA www.ah-chihuahua.com COAHUILA www.secturcoahuila.gob.mxCOLIMA www.visitacolima.com.mx, www.vivemanzanillo.comdURANGO www.visitadurango.com.mxGUANAJUATO www.guanajuatoexperience.mxGUERRERO www.guerrero.gob.mx/descubre-guerreroHIdALGO www.hidalgo.travelJALISCO www.visita.jalisco.gob.mx/wps/portal/portalturisticoMEXICO CITy www.mexicocity.gob.mxMEXICO STATE www.edomexico.gob.mx/turismo MICHOACÁN www.turismomichoacan.gob.mxMORELOS www.morelostravel.comNAyARIT www.rivieranayarit.comNUEvO LEóN www.nuevoleon.travel OAXACA www.oaxaca.travel PUEBLA www.puebla.travelQUERÉTARO www.queretaro.travel QUINTANA ROO www.caribemexicano.travel, www.cancun.travel, www.cozumel.travelSAN LUIS POTOSí www.visitasanluispotosi.comSINALOA www.vivesinaloa.comSONORA www.vivesonora.com TABASCO www.visitetabasco.com TAMAULIPAS www.turismotamaulipas.comTLAXCALA www.turismotlaxcala.comvERACRUZ www.veracruz.mxyUCATÁN www.yucatan.travel, www.mundomaya2012.travelZACATECAS www.zacatecastravel.com

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DESTINATIONSCULTURE

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5

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1 Aguascalientes

2 Baja California

3 Baja California Sur

4 Campeche

5 Chiapas

6 Chihuahua

7 Coahuila

8 Colima

9 Durango

10 Guanajuato

11 Guerrero

12 Hidalgo

13 Jalisco

14 Mexico City

15 Mexico State

16 Michoacán

17 Morelos

18 Nayarit

19 Nuevo León

20 Oaxaca

21 Puebla

22 Querétaro

23 Quintana Roo

24 San Luis Potosí

25 Sinaloa

26 Sonora

27 Tabasco

28 Tamaulipas

29 Tlaxcala

30 Veracruz

31Yucatán

32 Zacatecas

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PaCifiC OCEan

GULf Of MExiCO

ThE sEa Of CORTés CaRibbEan

www.visitmexico.comTHE PLACE YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW

www.visitmexico.comTHE PLACE YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW